Maybe
by KimiruMai
Summary: Oneshot set after the Buu saga. Christmas and New Years are rolling around again, and that only spells trouble for a certain Saiyan Prince...


**This is inexcusably late, and I really have no way to make up for it. I was crazy busy these last few days…but my inner fangirl surfaced again and slapped me with this. So yeah, useless fluff ahead. Enjoy, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and all that good stuff.**

* * *

**Maybe**

* * *

"No."

"Aw, come on."

"I said, NO, Kakarot!"

The taller male pouted. "I said please."

"And I said no!" Vegeta barked. "No is no is no is no!"

"I know what 'no' is," Goku frowned, folding his arms. "You're being very childish about this, Vegeta."

The Saiyan Prince looked livid. "Me?!" he nearly shrieked.

"Oh, Vegeta, just let him come with us," Bulma chided as she slid her purse onto her shoulder. "It's one day. You can survive."

"I can barely survive going shopping with _you_," her husband snarled, whirling to point an accusing finger. "No way in hell is Kakarot coming too."

"But I need Bulma's help!" Goku whined. "It's just a Christmas present for Chichi…it won't take me long. I swear."

"You have a habit of swearing things that aren't nearly as nice as they sound later on," Vegeta growled.

Goku looked hurt. Vegeta was right, he knew. He had promised that he would kill Frieza, and he had let the tyrant go…almost. He had promised that it would be okay without him when he died fighting Cell, and it wasn't. Buu had shown up. He did tend to make a lot of promises that he couldn't keep…but it wasn't like he meant to! Was it his fault that an enemy had been hiding underground for countless years? _No. _

"Vegeta, be civil," Bulma said calmly. "Don't forget, it's my car, and I can invite Goku to come along if I want."

"If he goes, I'm staying here," Vegeta said stubbornly.

Bulma sighed, smoothing her recently cut hair. "Vegeta, please be reasonable. You promised me you'd go, and every time I pestered you, what did you say?"

He gaped, then shut his mouth and folded his arms. _Me and my big mouth_, he growled inwardly.

"'I'm a man of my word,' you said," Bulma quoted. "Well, here we are, tough guy. Prove it."

"Damn you both to hell," he snarled, and stormed out to the car.

Bulma shook her head.

"Sorry," Goku rubbed the back of his head ashamedly. "I didn't know he'd be that mad."

"Don't worry about it, Son-kun. He's just grumpy today because he has to go shopping."

* * *

This could not _possibly _get any worse.

Kakarot and his mate were laughing and chatting it up while they looked at stupid things women might want for Christmas. Apparently the clown had saved up enough money to buy a small piece of jewelry for his woman. Of course, Bulma was making this take twice as long as it needed to, because, "Oh, that's not even Chichi's style, Son-kun," or "Oh, Chichi likes gold, not silver. She told me so, Son-kun." It was driving him insane.

"This one," the big clown finally said. "This one is perfect."

"I couldn't agree more!" Bulma gushed. "It's beautiful, Son-kun."

"Thanks for the help, B-chan," he smiled.

"No problem. Now, if you're willing to stick around for a little bit while I finish my shopping, I can help you wrap it when we get home."

"Oh, okay. My wrapping skills are a little under the mark," Goku laughed, scratching the back of his neck.

"I know," Bulma grinned, rolling her eyes. "Now, come on you two. I need to get Trunks a few more things."

Vegeta growled and followed, and Goku tried his very best to keep his distance. He watched the elder Saiyan's dark eyes roam critically over the toys as they passed, and took note of the occasional wrinkling of his nose when he saw something he deemed too worthless for his son.

"Did you find something for Bulma yet?" Goku asked when the blue haired woman had wandered out of earshot.

A soft growl rose from Vegeta's throat. "No."

"Do you want me to help look?" he offered.

"No."

"I could help," Goku insisted. "I just listened to her prattle on about which jewelry pieces she liked best, and you didn't look like you were paying attention."

"I wasn't."

"Well, then I can –"

"I already know what my mate likes, Kakarot," Vegeta snapped. "Leave me be."

"Oh," Goku fell silent. He wasn't much of a shopper, and Chichi had never worn much jewelry, so he had been unsure, but Bulma wore jewelry all the time, so it made sense that Vegeta would have a better idea of what to get her.

Vegeta picked up a few remote control cars before he wrinkled his nose again and turned sharply on his heel, disappearing into electronics.

Goku followed, curious. "What are you looking for?"

"Trunks wanted one of those tablet things," Vegeta murmured, studying the handheld gadgets through the screen.

"Oh," Goku said, joining him. All the tablets looked the same to him, but after a few minutes, Vegeta barked a command at one of the store employees, who picked out a certain tablet and handed it to him. Looking satisfied, the Saiyan paid for it quickly and headed back to the toys to look for his mate, Goku on his heels.

"D'you think Goten would like one of these trucks?" Goku asked as they walked through isles, which Vegeta carefully rescanned.

"I don't know," he replied in a clipped tone.

Goku stopped walking. "You're mad at me," he said, his pout from earlier reappearing on his face.

Vegeta stopped too, but to glare at him. "I am not." He started walking again and headed over to men's clothing, where he figured his mate would be. She was always trying to buy him some form of clothing whenever she left the house.

With his long strides, Goku caught up to him easily. "You are so," he insisted. "You've been grumpy at me all day."

"Because you won't leave me alone."

"Why should I?" Goku demanded.

"Because you annoy me," Vegeta hmphed.

"But I'm not trying to!" Goku cried.

"And yet you're doing a marvelous job of it," Vegeta sneered.

"If you're mad at me, I'm sorry," Goku continued, as if Vegeta had said nothing. "What did I do?"

"Goddammit, Kakarot, I'm not mad at you!" the Prince growled exasperatedly. "I've told you I hate shopping, and you're just making it worse. Leave me be."

"I said I was sorry," Goku grumbled. "It's customary to say "apology accepted", you know."

"I don't care."

Goku sighed. "I don't see Bulma," he said after a while.

Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "Neither do I. With all this weak Ki around, it's hard to track her."

"Are you worried?" Goku asked casually.

"No," Vegeta said, just as smoothly.

"I bet it's because you don't like being separate from her," Goku guessed. "That's why you're grouchy."

"It is not."

"I bet you're worried she'll get kidnapped. It's not that big of a store, Vegeta, calm down."

"I told you it wasn't," Vegeta grumbled.

"I think it is," Goku said certainly.

"It's not!" Vegeta argued.

"Is too."

"Is not!" The flame-haired Saiyan's hands clenched at his side, and he almost looked like an angry child.

"Is too."

"IS NOT!" Vegeta nearly yelled.

"Um, excuse me," a feminine voice said.

Both males, now a bit ticked off, whirled on the brunette woman that had interrupted their conversation.

"My brother is about your age," the woman said, "and I was going to get him a sweater…" she paused, embarrassed. "I can't decide what color. He always says the colors I pick are girly. Could you give me your opinions? Real quick?"

Goku blinked, then grinned. "Sure!"

"Kakarot!" Vegeta hissed. "We don't have time for this!"

"Oh, sure we do," he said cheerfully. Turning back to the woman, he asked, "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I…" she paused. "I'm not sure anymore, really. What would you get your bother? His skin tone is similar to Joshua's."

Goku blinked again, this time in confusion. "My brother?" How did this girl know Raditz? He himself hadn't thought of the man in years.

She blinked and motioned to Vegeta, who raised his brows. "Aren't you brothers?" she asked.

Goku got a funny look on his face, and Vegeta looked mortified. In a burst of laughter, Goku said, "Oh, no, Vegeta's not my brother. He's an old friend of mine."

She frowned thoughtfully and cocked her head. "Oh. I'm sorry…you were arguing like brothers do, so I assumed…"

"It's alright," Goku said still chipper.

"It's not alright!" Vegeta snapped, his features tense and blushing. "I am not related to that clown!"

The woman raised her hands in surrender. "Sorry, you just struck me as brothers, is all."

Vegeta's blush darkened, and he snapped, "Kakarot, I'm leaving."

"Aw, hold on a minute." Goku grinned at the woman. "He's shy, don't worry about it."

"I am not!" Vegeta snapped, whirling at the term.

"Anyway, I'd get something dark blue for Vegeta. That's his favorite color."

"Dark blue, huh?" she started scanning the racks. "How dark is dark?"

"Anywhere from my wristbands to nearly black," he explained, pointing to the guards on his wrist.

"Alright, thank you!" the woman said, already digging around in the racks.

"No problem!" Goku smiled, and he turned just in time to see Vegeta storming off. "Vegeta, wait up, will you?"

"No. No, no no no _NO._ I never want to be seen in public with you ever again. Get away from me."

"Aw, come on, she didn't mean any harm," Goku insisted, walking faster to match Vegeta's stride.

"Stop following me!" the Prince cried, still embarrassed. "For anyone to think I'm related to you is insulting to my bloodline!"

"Well, we don't look _that_ much alike," Goku reasoned, "plenty of brothers don't look anything alike. She didn't say you looked like me, if that's what you're worried about."

"I'm older, so she'd think _you_ looked like _me_," he corrected, and his glare intensified. "Which again, is an insult to my lineage."

"She only said we argued like brothers," Goku offered. "I don't see what's wrong with it."

Vegeta gave another embarrassed growl.

"What's wrong with us being brothers?" Goku demanded.

"I'm the Prince of all Saiyans, and you're –"

"A third class, I know. So what? Technically, since there's only two of us, and you're Royal class, then I'm first class."

"No, you aren't."

"Why not? I'm Super Saiyan."

"Because you can't be unless the King gives you a promoted rank," Vegeta snapped. "And while you're clearly in position to receive one, I'm in no position to give it."

Goku blinked. "Oh."

"Yes, 'oh'," Vegeta bit out. "I'm not King, Kakarot. Nothing's going to change if I'm not King."

"Don't the princes become kings if the king dies?" Goku asked quietly.

"No." His tone was harsh.

Goku bit his lip and fell silent, and the two continued to walk. After a moment, he folded his arms behind his head and said, "Well, screw politics. I've never been one for that nonsense anyway. If I want to think of you like an older brother, then I will."

Vegeta blinked and stared at him.

Goku hummed and didn't return his gaze, finding absolutely nothing wrong with his statement.

* * *

"Did you guys find everything?" Bulma asked. She had actually found them before they found her, though this was mostly because it was hard to miss Goku in the crowd.

"Well, I still need presents for the boys, but I can get those later," Goku shrugged.

Vegeta was silent.

"Vegeta?" Bulma asked.

"Hn."

She sighed, shaking her head, and the three left.

Christmas morning came and went. Trunks found his tablet as one of the "most cool awesome gifts any kid could ever get" which was basically the same thing as whatever Vegeta had ever gotten him previously. Bulma adored the necklace he'd bought her; he had, actually, been listening to her ramble on to Kakarot about which ones she liked. It went without saying that he was pleased with the massive update she'd made to the gravity room, and Trunks had surprised him with an actually well-chosen novel that he wouldn't particularly mind reading.

He had been reading this novel in his bedroom, as a matter of fact, when he felt familiar Ki's pop into his living room; Bulma had invited the Sons over for a little New Year's party, as today was New Year's Eve. No doubt, the rest of the Z Gang would soon arrive, something he was not entirely looking forward too.

A knock on his door interrupted his novel reading, and to his dismay, he found it was Kakarot. "What?" he called.

"Can I come in?"

"No. Don't you know better than to go into another man's bedroom?"

From the outside, Goku laughed. "Yeah, but you're in there, so it's different. I'm not invading privacy."

"Don't be so sure," came the dry retort.

"Well, will you come down, then?"

"No."

"I'll bug you until you do."

"I'll fry you."

"I can dodge."

Vegeta growled and rubbed his temples. "I'll be down in a minute."

"Okay," was Goku's cheerful reply, and his Ki disappeared down the stairs.

Now thoroughly aggravated, Vegeta sighed and finished his chapter before he eventually got up and went downstairs. Kakarot was already playing one of the video games that had been scattered all over the floor against Gohan, to whom he was losing miserably.

"Vegeta, come play!" Goku called, then grimaced. "Dang, I thought I had you that time, Gohan."

Gohan laughed and shook his head, and Vegeta said, "Not on your life, Kakarot."

"Aw, don't be such a stick in the mud," Goku chided, handing his controller to Goten, who after playing with Trunks had a much better chance at winning. "You're not still mad about that lady in the store, are you?"

Vegeta's left eye twitched. "I _hadn't_ been."

"Oops," Goku laughed.

The party went by fairly smoothly, if you didn't count Trunks and Goten breaking things and Roshi nearly getting his head ripped off after making an attempt to grope Bulma's chest. Drinks had been passed around, and by now, most were nicely buzzed.

Vegeta felt himself being smothered by all the people, so, with his own beer in hand, he silently left to go sit on the patio. He was content to sit by himself while the other's carried on. He was so busy trying to slip away without Bulma's notice that he didn't notice the Ki signature on the other side of the door until he had opened it, and Goku turned to look back at him in surprise.

"Hey, Vegeta," he greeted.

Vegeta blinked. "I didn't think anyone was out here."

Goku shrugged. "Well, it's your house. I'll leave if you want."

Vegeta cocked his head, his eyes narrowing suspiciously as he walked out and sat on the edge of the balcony beside his ex-rival. "I'm surprised you aren't inside with all the other morons."

The younger male grinned. "I'm surprised you were engaged enough in the activities to not notice me leaving."

Vegeta scowled. "I'm drunk."

Goku laughed. "No, you aren't," he disagreed. He looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, "I didn't know you drank at all."

"I don't," Vegeta admitted. "Much."

"Just when the gang is here, huh?"

"Have to numb the headache somehow."

Goku chuckled, craning his neck to look at the stars. "I drank beer once," he said, motioning to the can. "Chichi told me to never do it again."

Vegeta snorted. "What? Can't hold your liquor?"

"Oh no, I hold my liquor great. That's the problem."

"You got dead-ass drunk, didn't you?" Vegeta looked amused.

"Heh…I'm apparently not the nicest person when I have a hangover."

"For some reason I'm having a difficult time imagining that."

Goku smiled and shook his head. "Chichi's never been a beer person."

"Bulma likes wine," Vegeta replied absently.

They were quiet for a moment, then Goku asked, "Hey, Vegeta?"

"Hn."

"If I wasn't born a third class like you say, would you have been angry at what that woman said?"

Vegeta sighed. "I wasn't angry because you're a third class so much as I was because you're an idiot."

Goku blinked. "Oh." Then he laughed. "Well, that's better, I guess."

A shadow of a smile quirked at the elder's lips. "Exhibit A," he murmured.

"Hm?"

"Nothing."

Goku shook his head in the dark, amused. "I bet we could be brothers," he said.

"Not on your life."

"We make a great team when we fight, you know?"

"No," Vegeta sipped his beer.

"I think part of it was because of the Fusion. You ever notice how Goten and Trunks never seemed to have fully un-fused? Sometimes it's like they're still the same person."

"I noticed. And I hope you aren't insinuating that the same thing will happen to us."

Goku laughed nervously, laying down on the smooth wood and pillowing his head on his hands. "Nah. But we're closer, I think. I understand you more."

"I don't understand _you _any more than usual," Vegeta snorted.

"That's because you don't bother to try," Goku returned.

"Damn straight. If someone of my intellect understood a baka like you, we'd have a problem."

Goku chuckled. "See, you can make jokes if you want to."

"Who said I couldn't?"

"Everybody."

Vegeta growled. "As if I care what those idiots think."

"Yeah."

Another long pause ensued, on that was only broken by the sound of Vegeta finishing his beer and tossing the can.

Goku said, "So, not brothers."

Vegeta said, "Not a chance."

"But good friends, at least."

Vegeta was quiet. Then he said, "Maybe."

Goku smiled.

"Hey, you two!" Bulma appeared in the doorway. "It's 5 till midnight! Come have cake before your sons eat it all."

Goku jumped to his feet so fast they felt a gust of wind, but before he could take off for the kitchen, Vegeta rushed by, yelling, "No way in _hell_, Kakarot! It's mine!"

"That's cheating!" Goku cried, running after him.

"Sad for you!"

"_I_'m the guest so _I _should get the most cake!"

"Yeah, well I'm a Prince, so I win!"

"I was Super Saiyan first!"

"I kicked your ass first!"

"Did not!"

"If your stupid friends hadn't ganged up on me I'd have won, no contest, and either way, you were lying in the dirt before I was finished. Also, again, I'm the Prince of all Saiyans. End of story!"

"Damn you, gimme the cake!"

"Get back, baka!"

Laughter rang out in the room, and the New Year began without anyone noticing really the time.

* * *

**Heh, lame fluff :3 I dunno why but the relationship of these two have fascinated me lately. Lovable dorks…anyhow, hope you liked it. **

**Review!**

**~KimiruMai**


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